The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, there's plenty of gossip swirling about who's moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Inter Milan look to sign Lukaku in summer transfer window
Internazionale are looking at ways to sign Romelu Lukaku in the summer, according to Calciomercato. The striker is currently on loan with the Serie A giants from Chelsea, having endured a tough season with the Blues last term. He isn't totally having things his own way this campaign either, as the Belgium international has faced injury struggles and only played the first three games of the Serie A season.
With that said, the 29-year-old has offered a slight reminder of what he can do by providing a goal and assist in those three matches. Departed Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel had a poor relationship with Lukaku, which played into the Belgian's temporary leave, but even after the German left Stamford Bridge, Inter are hoping they will be able to extend the striker's stay.
That is why in the time that they are waiting for Lukaku to return to the pitch, Inter are looking towards the future and how they can ensure he sticks around. Chelsea and Inter share a positive relationship, so there will be new contact made at the end of the season with the aim of finding a solution that suits everybody.
In the meantime, Simone Inzaghi is hoping to get Lukaku back on the pitch as soon as possible.
LIVE BLOG
21.39 BST: According to Diario Sport, Manchester United chance to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona could see a boost in the coming transfer window.
Despite numerous attempts by the Red Devils in the summer window, they were unable to bring the Dutchman on board. However, with Barcelona President Joan Laporta saying the club will work on new signings in the January transfer window, the further reshuffling of the squad could see De Jong leave the Camp Nou for Erik Ten Hag's side.
20.20 BST: Real Madrid are not currently interested in signing PSG's Kylian Mbappe, sources have told ESPN.
ESPN reported last week that the France international is pushing to leave the club after signing a new contract this past summer, when he snubbed Madrid and stayed in Paris.
At the moment, the relationship between Mbappe and PSG's executive are sour over broken promises. At the same time, PSG sporting director Luis Campos denies the reports, saying Mbappe has no desire to leave in the January transfer window.
18.58 BST: Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo says he would re-sign Lionel Messi if he was the LaLiga side's sporting director. Messi, 35, is out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season and has been repeatedly linked with a move back to Camp Nou.
Sources have told ESPN that PSG are also keen to extend his deal, while there is also Major League Soccer interest, but Messi will not even think about his next move until after the World Cup. "If I was sporting director, I would sign Messi for Barcelona," Araujo told Club del Deportista.
Barca president Joan Laporta opened the door for a Messi return in an interview with ESPN in the summer. Speaking on Friday, Laporta once again refused to rule out signing Messi as a free agent in 2023, but wouldn't speak explicitly about the situation out of respect for PSG. "It wouldn't do anyone any good to comment on it," he said in an interview with Barca TV.
17.39 BST: Liverpool cannot compete with Manchester City's financial power, manager Jurgen Klopp has said, adding that their Premier League rivals and some other clubs "can do what they want."
Second-placed City visit Liverpool in the weekend's most anticipated Premier League clash on Sunday as they are 13 points clear of Klopp's side, who have a game in hand. Asked how Liverpool could keep up with Pep Guardiola's team, who won the Premier League for the fourth time in five seasons in May, Klopp replied that nobody could.
"You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with City in that," he said. "You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it.
"I know City will not like it, nobody will like it, you've asked the question but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible."
City signed Norwegian striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a deal reported to be worth £51m ($56.97m) in the summer but the multi-year deal, including his salary, could exceed €300m.
"There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially," Klopp said. He was referring to the United Arab Emirates owners of City, the majority Saudi ownership of Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain, which has a Qatari owner.
"It's legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. It is not a problem at all for me, it's like it is."
- Marcotti: Haaland, Mbappe use their leverage like Messi Ronaldo never did
16.44 BST: Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves has once again been offered to Barcelona by his agent Jorge Mendes, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Mendes met with Barca president Joan Laporta and director of football Mateu Alemany in the Catalan city on Thursday.
Reports suggested the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss a contract renewal for left-back Alejandro Balde, but Mundo Deportivo say Neves was also discussed.
Neves, 25, is moving into the last 18 months of his contract with Wolves and has regularly been linked with a move to Barca.
The Blaugrana are searching for a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets and are considering the Portugal midfielder, although he is not thought to be their top target. Barca also remain keen on Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez, according to the same report.
The Spain international is out of contract next summer and Barca view him as a 'market opportunity' who could come in if Gerard Pique leaves.
15.51 BST: Concerns over Rodrigo De Paul's off-the-field issues have led Atletico Madrid to consider an exit for the Argentina midfielder, Marca reports, with the LaLiga club hoping an impressive showing at the World Cup could lead to a big-money move in the January transfer window.
The relationship between De Paul and Atletico has grown tense after the player requested time off to travel to Argentina for a family matter, only to be pictured with his partner at an event in Miami.
Manager Diego Simeone has said the matter has been "dealt with internally" but according to Marca, worries over De Paul's attitude -- and Atletico's need to balance their books -- mean the club would be open to his departure, and believe a starring role for Argentina in Qatar would help make that happen, with Juventus and AC Milan both said to be interested.
14.57 BST: Manchester City have made a central midfielder their priority ahead of next summer's transfer window, sources have told ESPN's Rob Dawson.
The club are looking at options to strengthen their midfield including Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham. City spent an initial £42m to sign England midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United last summer and they are set to invest again at the end of the season. There remain doubts over the futures of both Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva. Gundogan has entered the final year of his contract and could leave for free at the end of the season.
Bernardo, meanwhile, is still a target for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. --
14.09 BST: Miralem Pjanic says Xavi Hernandez wanted him to stay at Barcelona but he made the decision to leave in search of regular football.
Pjanic joined FC Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates in September after Barca agreed to let him leave on a free transfer.
"Xavi wanted me to stay, it was me that decided to leave," the Bosnian midfielder told beIN.
"I was there for the first few games of the season, the coach spoke with me a lot, but I wanted to play more."
Pjanic, 32, was one of the players Barca wanted to move on this past summer, but his form in preseason convinced Xavi to keep him around as backup to Sergio Busquets, with Nico Gonzalez joining Valencia on loan.
However, after not being given a single minute in the first four matches of the season, Pjanic decided to move elsewhere.
He spent two years at Barcelona, the second on loan at Besiktas, and has been critical of former manager Ronald Koeman recently, whose training sessions he recently claimed lacked ideas and tactical work.
13.26 BST: Real Madrid will be watching Xabi Alonso's performance as Bayer Leverkusen manager with interest, sources told ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez, viewing the former Liverpool, Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder as a potential candidate to take charge at the Bernabeu.
Alonso, 40, was appointed by Leverkusen on Oct. 5 as the Bundesliga club look to turn around a dreadful start to the season in which they have taken just five points from their first eight league games. Madrid will be monitoring Alonso's progress closely, sources said, as the LaLiga giants believe that he fits the profile of a possible future Real Madrid manager.
The former midfielder had the opportunity to play for and learn from some of the most successful coaches of recent years including Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola. Alonso is a familiar face at Madrid, having followed his five-year spell there as a player by managing their under-14s through the 2018-19 season in his first coaching job. He went on to impress in his three years in charge of Real Sociedad's B team, leading them in 2021 to their first promotion to Spain's Second Division in 60 years.
Madrid now want to see how Alonso develops in this next phase of his coaching career with Leverkusen, which is his first top-flight appointment. Alonso had an immediate impact, beating Schalke 4-0 in his debut last week, although a 3-0 home defeat to FC Porto in midweek left them bottom of Champions League Group B with two rounds of matches remaining.
12.35 BST: Tottenham Hotspur plan to open talks with manager Antonio Conte over a new contract in the coming weeks, the Daily Mail reports.
Conte, 53, is out of contract at the end of the season, although Spurs can trigger an extension clause that would commit the Italian to the club for a further 12 months.
However, the club want to ensure that the manager who took them back up into the Champions League remains in north London for the long term, and will open talks with him around the World Cup.
Conte hinted several times last season that he could leave the club despite only joining them last November if he did not get backing in the transfer window, but he remained in his post after leading Spurs to a fourth-place finish at the expense of local rivals Arsenal and the club made six summer signings.
11.41 BST: Manchester United will activate an extension in Diogo Dalot's contract to ward off interest from Barcelona, sources told ESPN's Rob Dawson.
Dalot is into the final year of the deal he signed after joining from Porto in 2018 but United have an option to extend his stay until 2024. Barcelona are one of a number of clubs monitoring his situation, but the 23-year-old will not be available on a free transfer next summer.
Dalot has established himself at the first-choice right-back since Erik ten Hag's arrival as manager, playing 11 games in all competitions so far this season. The Portugal international is into his fifth season at Old Trafford and approaching 100 appearances for the club. He spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Milan but has since become a key part of the squad at United.
He is also set to be part of the Portugal squad at the World Cup in Qatar alongside club teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.
10.47 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers are considering re-hiring former manager Nuno Espirito Santo just 18 months after he left the club, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The 48-year-old was in charge as Wolves won promotion from the Championship, established themselves in the Premier League and qualified for the Europa League during his four years at Molineux.
However, he left at the end of the 2020-21 season and was appointed by Tottenham. But he only lasted five months at the north London club before he was fired and replaced by Antonio Conte. He is now in charge of Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
Wolves sacked Nuno's replacement, Bruno Lage, earlier this month. After they were unable to appoint their top target, Julen Lopetegui, the club are now looking at alternatives including former Watford boss Rob Edwards and Mainz coach Bo Svensson.
09.52 BST: Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has rejected accusations of bullying after reports claimed Joao Felix wanted to leave the club.
Felix has made just seven starts for Atletico this season and the Portugal international was an unused substitute in his side's most recent Champions League game against Club Brugge on Wednesday.
That led to suggestions in Portugal that Simeone was treating Felix harshly, but the Atletico manager told a news conference on Friday that he would select the forward when he started to play better.
"The team is really good and the reality is another thing, the field of play. And in the reality of the field of play the thing is there's a manager who picks the best players as a result of what he sees," Simeone said. "Do you think I'm not playing Joao to lose? No manager does that.
"When he starts to play well again in training, he works, he recovers his goalscoring touch, which we need, he will play. But while I'm here, it's about performance, that's why his other teammates are playing. It's clear that each time he was good, he played."
09.00 BST: Phil Foden has signed a new long-term contract at Manchester City, it was announced on Friday.
The 22-year-old forward has penned a deal that is set to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027. It represents a five-year contract and a three-year extension to his existing deal, which was due to run until 2024.
Foden is already closing in on 200 appearances for City and has won 11 major trophies with them, including four Premier League titles.
He has started this season in blistering form with seven goals in 13 games and is set to be part of the England squad at the World Cup in Qatar.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
-- As Jose Felix Diaz told Marca, Real Madrid are closely looking at Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Los Blancos also want Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, but their current priority is to sort out contract renewals, with Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos being examples of players they want to keep around for longer than their current deals.
-- Xavi Simons has told ESPN NL that there is a clause in his PSV Eindhoven contract that will allow him to re-join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season if he wants to. "It is true that I have a clause. That clause is between me and PSV, not with PSG," Simons said. "It's a clause that if I wanted to go to PSG, I could leave for a certain amount at the end of the season. To be honest, it's not in my head to move. I just settled here and feel good here. I think that is reflected on the field as well. It's not in my head to change now."
-- In three separate reports, Calciomercato have stated that Internazionale are looking to sign Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa, Everton centre-back Yerry Mina and Salernitana right-back Pasquale Mazzocchi. Inter have sent scouts to watch 17-year-old Nusa but will face competition to sign him, see Mina as a replacement for Milan Skriniar if the captain leaves rather than renewing his contract, while Mazzocchi is viewed as a viable option to sign in the winter or summer windows.
-- Valencia's Gennaro Gattuso has insisted that Nico Gonzalez will see out his year-long loan from Barcelona despite a lack of game time, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. "This is the first time I've heard of it," the Italian said when asked about the possibility of breaking it off early. "No player has spoken to me. He is working very well. He has a one-year contract with us. The player has not come to talk to me."